Current and upcoming automotive communication technologies are combining wireless voice and data services to provide information and in-vehicle entertainment to drivers and their passengers. In extending the possibilities of in-vehicle communication, manufacturers of aftermarket electronic devices have designed wireless devices that send audio signals to in-vehicle radio receivers via radio frequency (RF) signals, which in turn send out the audio signals through audio speakers within the vehicles. For example, a typical wireless device, such as a compact disc (CD) changer/player, modulates its audio signal into an RF signal so that the existing FM tuner of a car audio system can receive the signal.
Most wireless devices such as the CD changer/player use a specific radio frequency for accessing a radio's audio output channels, and require that the radio be tuned to the specific frequency before the device can broadcast over an audio output channel of the radio. Preparing a wireless device to broadcast its audio signals through an in-vehicle radio has been a manual process, which often involves setting the wireless device to broadcast a particular frequency, and either manually tuning the radio to the same broadcast frequency or using one of the radio preset buttons to tune to that broadcast frequency. To use a radio's audio output channels, the radio needs to be tuned to a specific frequency before audio output from the device is heard. If the radio is not tuned to the frequency, the frequency is not known, or it has been forgotten, audio output from the device will not be heard, and it will appear as if the device is not working properly. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a system and method that overcomes these and other disadvantages.